Laundry press



Jan. 5, 1932. F. w. LINDEMANN LAUNDRY PRESS Filed Oct. 27, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l [n venzfor FEEDER/CK M41 INDEMANN 1932- v F. w. LINDEMANN 1,839,687

LAUNDRY PRESS Filed Oct. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 7LV61Z Z402 FEEDER/CKWL/NDEMANN f fiw, 0 W

, ATTORNEYS Jan. 5, 1932. F. w. LINDEMANN LAUNDRY PRESS Filed Oct. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 71, Va nfior Phase/m L lNDEMANN 501,4, liq $01M l47'TOENE Y5 Jan. 5, 1932. F. w. LINDEMANN LAUNDRY PRESS Filed Oct. 27, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 A I M M W M W W AT-rozMEv s J an. 5, 1932. F. w. Ll NDEMANN 1,839,687

LAUNDRY PRES S Filed Oct. 7, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Q 83 [raven/02" v FEEDEB/CKWL/NDEMANN H6 5 @q W 4 ATTOZNEK? Patented Jan. 5, 1 932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK W. LINDENEANN,.OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNIPRESS COMPANY, INCORPORATED, or MINNESOTA MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF LAUNDRY Panes Application filed October 27, 1928, Serial No. 315,541.

This invention relates to improvements in laundry presses and has, among 1ts'ob ects,

' to provide an improved collar band expand- 7 ing mechanism; an improved tail clamp mechanism; means for simultaneously operating any form of collar band expanding and tail clamp mechanisms by a single lever accessible by an operator from the front of the machine; and means for causing an automatic retraction of the tail clamp mechanism as the head is raised.

Features of the invention include the construction of the neck band expander mechanism; the construction of the tail clamp 5 mechanism; the construction for operating any form of neck band expander mechanism and tail clamp mechanism simultaneously by, an operator standing in front of the machine; and generally to all details of constructions, and combinations and sub-combinations of the constructions.

Features and advantages of the invention will appear from the description of thedrawings forming a part of this application and in said drawings. v

Figure 1 is a plan view, broken away to show the operating lever and certain elements associated therewith, the neck-band expanding mechanism and tail-clamp being retracted;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, show ing the neck-band expanding mechanism and tail-clamp in advanced or operative position; Figure 3 isa bottom plan view, illustrating a portion of the neck-band expanding mechanism; s

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the machine showing the shirt-tail clamp positioned over the buck; sponding to Figure 4, showing the relation of the presser arm to the tail-clamp latch when the presser head is in pressing position; Figure 6 is a transverse vertical section on line 66- of Figure 2, illustrating the mounting of the operating lever; I

Figure 7 is a vertical section on line 7-7 of Figure 1. showing the tail-clamp in retracted position; 4

Figure 8 is a vertical section on line 88 Figure 5 1s a fragmentary end view correof Figure 2, showing the latch mechanism in latched position;

Figure 9 is a vertical sectionon line 9-9 of Figure 5, showing how the latch mechanism is released when the Presser arm is in pressing position;

Figure 10 \is a plan section through the latch, on line'dO-lO of Figure 8;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary plan view, showing a shirt arranged over the buck with the band positioned upon the neck-band expander;

Figure 12 is a plan section on line 12-12 of Figure 13;

Figure 13 is a vertical section on line 1313 of Figure ,11, showing the expander mechanlsm in retracted position;

Flgure 14 is aplan section,'similar to Figure 12, showing. the neck-band expander mechanism in expanded position; and

, Figure 15 is a vertical section on line 15-15 of Figure 14."

Referring first to Figures 1 and 4, the frame of a presslng machine is generally indicated at 1. The frame has extensions 2, to which is pivoted as at 3 a presser head operating arm 4:, having the usual presser head 5. The buck is indicated at 6 and suitably supported by, a pedestal 1O rising from a plate 11 -at-' tached to theframes. The buck may be of any suitable construction. The buck pad is indicated at 15. The table is indicated at 16. The presser head is operated by any suitable means generally indicated at which, in this instance, is operable to obtainpress'ing force,

' when the arm is moved by means of compressed air entering cylinder 21.

,One feature of the invention includes the shirt-tail clamp;means for manually operating-it to bring it to-clamping position, and

means for looking it in position after clamping, another featurevincludes the shirt-tail clamp and a' means operable by the head as the head is retracted for pressing position to move the tail clamp away from the buck.

Referring first to Figure 4;, there is mounted upon one of the frame extensions 2, a bracket held by bolts 26 slots 27 in a manner to allow the element 25 to be vertically adjusted and then set in adpassing through Inc i per part of the loop,

justed position by tightening the bolts 26. Swingingly mounted upon the bracket 25 is a second bracket element 30, the pivot 31 of which passes through ears of both brackets,

5 and is pinned to the bracket 30 as at 32 to rotate therewith. A spring 33 surrounds the pivot rod 31, and has terminals arranged to secure it under tortion to automatically swing the bracket to the position shown in Figure 1, that is in a direction away from the buck. The pivot 31 is extended downwardly as shown in Figure 4.and is then bent upon itself as at .36 to provide an upstanding portion 37 upon which is rotatably mounted a sleeve 38.

in that position corresponding to a fully re tra-cted position of the tail-clamp, a pin 46 carried by one arm of a lever 47, pivoted at 48 to the pedestal plate, notch 45. The lever has extending horizontally beyond the front of the buck in a position to be grasped by the operator. When the lever is movedto theposition shown in Figure 2, the pin 46 riding on the edge 5001 the lever 42 causes the bracket 30 to assume the position shown in is engaged with the a handle portion 49 Figures 2 and 4 which corresponds to the clamping position of the shirt-tail clamp. The bracket 30 is swung to the position shown in Figure 2 against the action of the spring 33 so that when the lever 49 is afterwards moved to the position shown in Figure 1, the bracket 30 automatically moves to the position shown in Figure 1, bringing notched portion 45 into engagement with the pin 46.

Upon the as at 55, a latch plate 56, the lower portion of which is formed as best shown in Figure 10, to cooperate with the bracket 30 as a latch. Carried by this plate 56' is a wire frame including an element 57 socketed at one end in the plate 56 and secured in the socket by bolts 58. This frame has an upstanding portion 59. Connecting with the upstanding portion 59 by one end is a wire 60 which is attached at its opposite end as at 61 to the plate 56. This construction merely provides a loop, of suflicient area to pass over the end of the buck in the manner shown in Figures 2 and'4, when the frame 30 is swung in a horizontal plane. A thumb piece 51 is used to depress the tail-clamp to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 4. The upor element 60, is for the purpose of engaging the shirt tail and this Loosely passing through an opening in the bracket 30 is swingingly pivoted element is made flexible so that it can assume the position substantially shown in dot-anddash lines when the frame is depressed. The function of the latch mechanism including the. element 56 will be evident from an inspection of Figures 4 and 10. Depressing the loop or tail-clamp to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 4, results in the latching cooperation of the plate 56 with the bracket 30 shown in Figure 10. It will be understood that the plate 56 is pivoted at 55 in such a manner as to be capable of moving toward and away from the surface of greatest area of the bracket 30 and therefore alternately in the directions shown by the arrows A in Figures 8, 9 and 10. Again referring to Figures 5, 8 and 10 which show the latched condition, and particularly to Figure 10, the element 56 is provided with a lug 62 which cooperates with the edge face of the element 30 as shown, and the element 30 is in turn provided with a projection 63 with which the lug 62 cooperates to limitthe swinging movement of the element about the pivot 55 as an axis of rotation.

Another feature of the invention is the means forrocking and thus controlling, the latch plate 56 by means of the presser arm 4. The pivotal means 55 isso placed and arranged that the latch 56 will normally be automatically moved by gravity toward the face of the bracket 30. For example, in F igure 4 the lug 62 is engaged against the face. of greatest area of the element 30. However, when the plate 56 is moved to the position shown in Figure 5, the face of theelement, 56 will swing toward the opposed face of the element 30 and latching will take place. However the latching can never take place when the plate 56 is positioned as shown in Figure 4. The plate is brought to and held in this position by acoiled spring 65,see Figure 7. It is against the action of this spring 65 that the tail-clamp or frame, including the members 57 and 60, is lowered to shirt-tail clamping position. Figures 4 and 7 clearly illustrate the unlatched position of the element 56.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5. After the frame, including the elements 57 and 60, has been brought to the position shown in Figure 4 over the shirt-tail,-the operator smooths .the goods upon the buck preparatory to the pressing operation,

and then manually depresses the frame to swing the plate 56 in direction of the arrow B and result in the latching operation shown in Figures 8 and 10. The tail loop has now assumed the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 4. The machine is now operated and the arm moves to pressing position.

It is a feature of the invention to provide means operable by the arm as, it moves to pressing position, or after it has reached pressing position, or has nearly reached moved, by the spring 65, to the position shown in Figures 4 and 7, this latter operation taking place only after 67 moves away from 6,8, in other words as the presser head recedes from the work. The arrangement is therefore such that when the head has reached pressing position the element 56 is conditioned to automatically move to, the position shown in Figure 4 when the pressure is released.

It is conceivablethat the shirt-tail clamp mechanism herein can be manually unlatched instead of automatically bythe arm 4. For example, referring to Figure 4, with the clamp in the dotted line position and with the elements latched as shown in Figures 8 and 10, the operator can, by grasping the extension 59 and tilting it toward the buck, move the latch plate 56 in a direction away from the face of the bracket 30, to release the latch which will then be automatically brought to the position shown in full lines in Figure 4. This operation will be performed after the head is raised so that the bracket will swing the tail-clamp to the position in Figure 7 through the action of the spring 33. Therefore, although the unlatching operation by means of the presserhead or a member operated thereby is claimed, the mechanism per se without this cooperation isalso claimed.

To recapitulate: The operator throws -le'- ver 49 from the position shown in Figure 1 to that shown in Figure 2 which results in bringing the tail-clamp over the buck. The operator then depresses the clamp by means of the thumb piece 51, and swings the plate 56 in the direction of the arrow B, see Figure 4, resulting inthe latched condition shown in Figures 8 and 10. The pressing op. eration now takes place, and with engagement or near engagement of the head 5' with the worlgand wire 60, the plate 56 is moved to the osition shown in Figure 9, and thus released, and conditioned to be automatically moved by-the spring to the position shown in Figure 4, when the head recedes. The operator now moves the lever 49 from the position shown in Figure 2,- to that shown in- ,Figure land the spring 33 acts automatically to swing-the tail-clamp to the position shown in Figures 1 and'7. 7

Another feature of the invention is the means by which a single lever or equivalent device is caused to simultaneously operate a clamping means and tail-clamping means are. The simultaneous operation of any such means by a single lever constitutes the invention.

Referring first to Figure 1, a shirt collar band clamping means is generally indicated at 71 and it is assumed that the element 72 is a slide which is in some way connected with this mechanism 71, to cause a clamping action. when the lever 49 is moved for example, in direction of the arrow C. The element 72 is connected for movement by the lever 49 through a link 73 pivotally connected respectively at opposite ends to the lever and slide 7%.

An additional feature ofthe invention includes the construction of the collar band expander and clamp, the details of which will be found in Figures 3 and 11 to 15. The construction of the slide 72 and the manner of mounting is best shown in Figure 3. This slide is arranged upon the bottom of the buck frame to slide in a direction longitudinally of the buck, and to project beyond the end thereof. The frame is provided with a pair of parallel slots through which bolts 81 extend, each bolt having a spring 82, see Figures 13 and 15 surrounding it, and each bolt being provided with a nut 83 operating against a washer which, in turn, operates against the springs to put them under tension. An additional slot 84, see Figure 3. is provided, and a bolt 85 traverses this slot, a nut 86 being in threaded engagement with the bolt. The spring. corresponding to spring 82 is not .shown. Thus the element- 72 is slidably guided for movement in a direction longitudinally of the buck. The slide projects beyond the end of the buck as clearly shown in Figures 3 and 11 to 15, in-

elusive. as well as in Figure 2. Against the end of this slide and in a vertical positlon is secured a strip 90 whichis of substantially the same transverse width as the buck and engages the shoulder portion of the shirt,- when the neck band is arranged over the neck-band block. now to be described.

Referring to Figures 11 to 15, incluslve. The block is indicatedat and a collar band receiving surface and support is providedby a strip or series of strips 96 suitably secured as by a screw or screws 97 to the block. The block is thus shaped to receive the neck band of the shirt. The element 96 is shown as composed of three pieces including a central the shirt. A pair of expander arms are slidably guided in the block to move generally in the same direction and outwardly from the end of the buck. The arms are so guided and arranged as to cause them to move away from each other when translated in a direction away from the buck. To this end, the block is provided with apair of grooves 99 divergent in direction away from the end of the buck. In each groove is slidable a portion of an expander arm 100 each provided terminally with a block 101 which engages the inner surface of the band to put .it under tension as shown in Figure 14.

Means is provided to translate the arms, and this means is detachably secured to the arms. It comprises in this instance a slide plate 102 having on its under side a transversely arranged projection 103 which engages with the notches'104 one in each expander arm 100,

see Figures 12 and 14. This plate 102 is connected to the slide 72 by means of an upstanding pin 105 which has threaded connection with the plate 72, and which is counterturned at its upper end to provide a shoulder, and also a terminal pin which detachably engages an opening 106 of a plate 102, as best shown in Figures 13 and 15. The plate 102 is guided in a groove 107 formed in a block the groove extending in a direction longitudinally of the buck. It will be readily seen that when the element 7 2 is translated,

the plate 102 is also translated and with it the expander arms 101, by means of the projection 103 engaged with notch 104 resulting in the movement of the expander arms either outwardly or inwardly. The arms can be expanded in varying degrees according to the size of the band, by correspondingly moving the lever 49. The lever 42 is also correspondingly moved, and the yielding connection 39 permits varying degrees of movement of the lever 42, after the bracket 30 has engaged the face of the frame 2.

Means for clamping the shirt at the overlapping front portions is also provided, and is automatically operable to clam as the expander arms are moved outwar y to the position shown in Figure 14. This means is best shown in Figures 13 and 15 and consists of a rocker arm pivoted as at 110 to a cover 111, which cover engages over the block and is secured b screws 117, see Figure 11. The

block 95 is secured to the buck by means of screws 112 introduced from beneath. The rocker arm has a portion 113 engageable with the overlapping portion of the collar band and has an extension at the opposite side of its pivot indicated at 114. This extension has a terminal foot which is engaged with the upper surface of the slide 102 to secure the rock arm in clamping position as shown in Figurey15. In order to provide for the release of the arm, and for its automatic movement to clamping position when the slide 102 is moved outwardly, the slide is provided with an opening 115, see Figure 13, and the cover 111 is also. provided with an opening 116 1n register with the opening 115. The extension 114 by entering these openings and traveling downwardly, throws the clamping port on 113 of the rockable element to the position shown in Figure 13. Theclamp assumes this initial position when the expander arms are retracted. When the slide 102 moves outwardly to the position shown at 115, the extension 114 riding upon the plate finally assumes the position shown in Figure 15 under tension to clamp. A finger piece 118 Is provided to manually operate the rockable clamp. It will be understood that the constructlon of this expander mechanism is claimed.

General operation With the presser head in the position shown in Figure 4, the operator places the shirt over the buck as shown in Figures 11"and 13. The lever 49. is then thrown from the position shown in Figure 1 to that shown in Figure 2 with the result that the tail clamp swings to operative position, and the band-expandmg mechanism operates, see Figures 2 and 4. The operator then smoothes the shirt and then depresses the tail clamp by means of the thumb piece 51, to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 4 by which movement the element 56 is latchingly engaged with the element 30 as shown in Figures 8 and 10. The press is then operated, and the arm 4 and head 5 lowered. At or near the end of this movement the plate 67, see Figures 4 and 5, engages the adjustable element 68 and swings the element 56 outwardly in the direction of one of the arrows A to the position shown in Figure 9, thus releasing the lug 62 and conditioning the latch 56 to swing to the position shown in Figure 4 when the head rises, this releasing action being obtained, as before stated, by the spring 65, see Figure 7. The operator then moves the lever 49 from the position shown in Figure 2 to that shown in Figure 1 which results in a movement of the tail clamp to the position shown in Figures 1 and 7, through the action of the spring 23. With this "movement of the lever, the neck band clamping elements are moved to the positions shown in Figures 1, 11, 12 and 13, and the cycle is complete.

I claim as my invention:

1. A laundry press including a buck, a bracket pivotally mounted on the press and having means to cause it to automatically move in direction away from the buck, an element pivoted to said bracket in a manner to swing in a direction parallel to one face of the bracket and toward and away from the same face, said element having means releasably engageable with the bracket, said element when in latched position being im- 7 face of said bracket, said element having attached thereto a tail clamping element, said elementbeing adapted for disengagement by manipulation of said clamping element, to permit it to move in a direction away from the face of the bracket.

2. A press including a frame, a buck, a presser head arm having a head cooperable with the buck, tail clamping means pivoted to swing over the buck to operative engagement with the goods on the buck, means for releasably latching the tail clamping means in operative engagement, and means movable as the result of presser arm motion to automatically release the latching means when the presser head is in pressing position.

3. A press including a frame, a buck, a presser head arm having a head cooperable with the buck, a bracket hinged to swing horizontally, tail clamping means pivoted to the bracket to swing vertically and having latch means cooperable with the bracket to releasably latch the tail clamp in clamping position, and means movable as the result of presser arm motion to automatically release the latch means when the presser head is in pressing position.

4. A press including a buck having means for securing the neck end of a shirt, shirt tail clamping means mounted to swing to clamping position with reference to the buck, a lever accessible at the front of the buck for manual operation, and connections between said lever and the securing and clamping means by which both of said means are simultaneously moved to operative position when the lever is moved in one direction and both moved to inoperative position when said lever is moved in an opposite direction.

5. Apress including a buck having means for holding the neck end of a shirt, a first lever accessible from the front of the buck, and means adapting it to control the shirt neck holding means, tail clamping means adapted to be swung over the buck, a spring adapted to automatically move the clamp to inoperative position, a second lever, and means adapting it to swing said tail clamping means to and from operative position, said second lever being arranged for engagement by the first lever to forcibly swing it in a direction to move said tail clamping means over the buck against the action of said spring, when said first lever operates the neck holding means to bring it to shirt neck holding position.

6. In combination with a buck having means for holding the neck end of a shirt,

a first'lever accessible from the front of the buck for manual operation, tail clamping means adapted to be swung over the buck, a spring adapted to automatically move the clamp to inoperative position, a second lever, and means adapting it to swing said tail clamping means to and from operative position, said lever having means engageable by the first to forcibly swing it in a direction to move said tail clamping means to operative position against the action of said spring, and said first lever having means connecting it with the means for holding the neck end of the shirt so that when the first lever is moved in a direction to bring the tail clamping means to operative position, the holding means is brought to holding position, and vice versa.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 23rd day of October 1928.

FREDERICK W. LINDEMANN. 

